Admission of Students

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• Requirements
• Transfer Admission
• Deferred Admission
• International Student Information
• Interested in Admission?

Saint Michael’s College’s admission standards are competitive. Each application is reviewed closely according to the criteria outlined below in order of importance.

Overall high school record and strength of college preparatory curriculum (including the senior year of high school). Students should challenge themselves with the highest level of the coursework suitable to their abilities. The number of honors level, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate courses in a student’s background and relative to high school offerings are considered in the decision-making process. Applicants should have at least sixteen Carnegie Units of college preparatory course work in high school including some combination of the following (in order of importance).

Four years of English;
	While courses like speech and other English electives are interesting, students are recommended to take those in addition to (not as replacements for) English courses with a strong emphasis on writing and the reading of literature.
Two to three years of the same foreign language;
	A minimum of two are required, but it is highly recommended that applicants pursue as many years of language as possible.
Three to four years of theoretical mathematics;
Three to four years of science, including at least two lab sciences;
Three to four years of history and social sciences.

High school rank in class or relative standing in the class as indicated by quartile, quintile or decile is also considered in conjunction with the quality of the curriculum attempted and the overall strength of the high school.   For students who choose not to submit standardized test scores (see below) the high school record will be the most important factor considered.

Saint Michael’s College has a “standardized test-optional” admission policy. Applicants have the following options:

Submit official scores from either the SAT or the ACT. Students will be given the benefit of the best combination of subscores from all test dates. Applicants who opt to have the scores considered must submit official scores from the respective testing agency.  If the official scores are not submitted when the student has asked us to consider them, the application will be considered  incomplete.

Students may select “test optional” on the application itself. Your candidacy will also be evaluated based on all writing samples including your Personal Essay and your member questions on the Common Application as well as your high school transcript and letters of recommendation. Course selection, including level of challenge and overall course selection throughout high school will be of primary importance in the evaluation process.

SAT subject tests are not required, but applicants may wish to submit scores from foreign language exams in order to satisfy the College’s language proficiency requirement.  Applicants who wish to apply under the test optional provision may submit their SAT subject or AP language test scores post admission.

Application essay (required) and any submitted writing samples (optional).

Letters of recommendation from teachers and counselors.

The applicant’s record of extra-curricular interests, activities, and talents.

Saint Michael’s students tend to be active, engaged members of our residential college community bringing to the campus a commitment to work hard academically and to contribute to the life of the College, enhancing the educational experience of peers in an dout of the classroom. When the admission committee reviews an appliction, several factors are taken into consideration. As noted above, the student’s high school record is treated as the most important factor in the decision process. Each applicant’s achievement in a well-rounded, rigorous program taken throughout high school is considered. Students who have challenged themselves by selecting honors or AP level courses or taking extra years of a foreign language, for instance, will be strong applicants, provided they are making successful progress.Admitted students generally rank in the top 25 percent of their high school classes.

Students who earn college credit from another institution while attending high school should submit their official college transcript(s) and those credits will be considered for transfer eligibility. Credit may be transferred for work completed at regionally-accredited colleges with a grade of C- or better, if the courses correspond to offerings at Saint Michael’s.

For students who elect to submit test scores, both the test scores (either SAT or ACT) and how the scores relate to the student progress in class work are considered.  The middle 50 percent of admitted students last year scored between 1150-1330 on the combined new score of EBRW and Math, and the average ACT composite was 28. Saint Michael’s considers the highest section scores across all SAT test dates.  For more information on the SAT, consult the College Board Web site at collegeboard.com. For more information on the ACT, consult the ACT website at ACT.org. The Saint Michael’s codes are 3757 for the SAT and 4312 for the ACT.

Teacher and counselor recommendations are often helpful in understanding how well a student has handled the various aspects of high school work, from class participation to reading and writing assignments. Applicants should provide 1-2 recommendations from current or recent teachers or their guidance counselors. Additional recommendations from coaches, employers and other people who know applicants well are also considered, but should not replace those from high school teachers. In addition, each applicant’s essay will be carefully considered as a required part of the application. Additional graded work will be added to applicant’s files.

A student’s extracurricular resume is another factor in the admission process. Saint Michael’s seeks to enroll students who will be active contributors to the campus community and therefore seeks to admit applicants who show strong qualities in leadership, character, and involvement in activities such as volunteer programs. Extracurricular contributions are broadly defined to include dedication in athletic and artistic arenas as well as dedication to club, student government, employment, family caregiving, and religious pursuits.

The Office of Admission will confirm all students’ transcripts that arrive from a high school with a CEEB code as well as the high school seal and/or signature and/or is submitted online through an official, secure web site.  If a transcript is from a high school that lacks a CEEB code or seal/signature, the Office of Admission will investigate to confirm the appropriate state department of education or home school association recognizes the school.  The Office of Admission may request a copy of the student’s diploma at any point in the admission process to verification process.  If a diploma is determined invalid a GED or ETS HiSET may be required for admission consideration.

Note: Saint Michael’s College supports the efforts of secondary school officials and governing bodies to have their schools achieve regional accredited status to provide reliable assurance of the quality of the educational preparation of its applicants for admission.

Home-schooled students should have completed the necessary high school graduation requirements; standardized test scores are often more heavily relied upon when the application is reviewed.

As always, if an applicant submits copies of academic work or curriculum, it will be taken into consideration. Home-schooled students often submit a detailed extracurricular resume that further adds dimensions to their personalities and characters. Applicants who have taken the initiative to be active in their local communities in varying capacities are urged to detail that involvement.

Students seeking to transfer to Saint Michael’s College must be in good standing, academically and otherwise, at the institution they have previously attended. Credit may be transferred for work completed at accredited colleges following Saint Michael’s College’s Transfer Credit Policies. 

All students who transfer will complete a transfer credit evaluation process with the Registrar and are responsible for completing graduation requirements and minimum numbers of Saint Michael’s credits as outlined in the Registrar policies of this catalog. The transfer application deadline for the fall semester is April15 (or later on a space available basis.) Applications for the spring semester are considered on a space available basis and should be submitted by December 1.

Admitted students at Saint Michael’s may request to postpone their enrollment for up to one year. A $500 non-refundable registration deposit is required to confirm enrollment and an additional $1500 non-refundable deposit is required to delay entry terms for up to one year. Both deposits are credited toward the student’s first semester charges. Students who defer enrollment beyond one year forfeit their registration deposits and must formally reapply for readmission.

International students may apply for direct or conditional admission to the undergraduate degree program.  All students, regardless of their citizenship, are eligible for merit scholarships.  Students who have attended university outside the United States may be eligible to transfer academic credit from their previous university.

Non-native speakers of English must demonstrate academic English proficiency the equivalent of 79/6.5 on the TOEFL/IELTS.

In addition to the application for undergraduate studies, international students must provide the following:  English-language test results, a copy of the passport photo page, and financial certification demonstrating the ability to pay for one year of study.

For more information about international admission and enrollment, contact ApplySMC@smcvt.edu.

The next step is to complete and submit the online Common Application or Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success Application, available at www.commonapp.org, and www.mycoalition.org respectively, along with the application fee of $50. Students who visit campus before applying are eligible for an a pplication fee waiver. Upon receiving these, we will begin to process the application. The Early Action I deadline is November 1, while the Early Action II deadline is December 1. The deadline for regular notification of the admission decision for the fall semester is February 1. Applications submitted after that date will be considered on a space available basis. The transfer deadline is April 1st (or later on a space available basis).

Applicants should have high school transcripts and, if you wish test scores to be considered, SAT or ACT forwarded to this office at the address below. When an application is received an acknowledgment is sent by email. Students may also check the status of their applications on our website. If that acknowledgment is not received in a reasonable amount of time, applicants should contact the Office of Admission by phone or email.

The admission committee reviews each application for admission.

A limited number of spaces may be available at the beginning of the spring semester. Applications for the spring semester should be submitted by November 1.

Saint Michael’s subscribes to the Candidate’s Reply Date Agreement, allowing applicants until May 1 to make their decision about attending. For an additional application or information, please write, call, or contact us through our Web site:

Director of Admission
Saint Michael’s College
One Winooski Park
Colchester, Vermont 05439
800-SMC-8000; FAX: 802.654.2906
Main Number: 802.654.3000
International Calls: +1.802.654.3000
E-Mail: admission@smcvt.edu
 

For those who plan to visit the campus, the Office of Admission is located in the Hoehl Welcome Center. The hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and many Saturday programs are offered throughout the year. Please check our Web site for the most up-to-date visitor information or call during office hours to make an appointment.